Disposable absorbent articles comprise diapers but also other absorbent articles such as incontinence briefs, diaper holders, feminine hygiene garments, training pants, panties, underpants and the like.
Such disposable absorbent articles typically comprise closure components which are used to safely secure the absorbent article to the body of the wearer. The fastening means employed in such closure components include, for example, adhesive means such as pressure-sensitive adhesive means but mechanical fastening means are also used. In the case of mechanical fastening means, the closure component typically comprises at least a first component of such fastening means which is capable of engaging with at least a second matching component of said fastening means arranged at another part of the absorbent article. Mechanical fastening means include, for example, mechanical hooks as a first male component and a fibrous material as a second mating female component.
Disposable absorbent articles often employ materials such as woven or non-woven materials having an exposed surface providing a cloth-like feeling in order to increase the comfort of wearing. It was found that the closure components and, in particular, mechanical closure components tend to engage with such surfaces during the manufacturing of the absorbent articles in an uncontrolled way which may adversely affect subsequent steps of the process of manufacturing.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,428,526 discloses a process for attaching and protecting a mechanical fastener material on a disposable absorbent article. The process includes applying a continuous hook material to a substrate web and cutting by a cutter to form individual fastening portions whereby a substantial part of the substrate web bearing the hook material is discarded. The fastening portions are then folded over and releasably engaged.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,759,317 discloses a method of forming a plurality of closure components which comprises providing a composite web which includes a web of hook material. The composite web is divided along first and second, non-intersecting, continuous serpentine division lines which repeatedly traverse across a complete lateral width of the hook web and extend generally longitudinally along a medial region of the composite thus providing a serpentine strip which needs to be discarded. The method according to US '317 does furthermore not allow for a wide variation of the shape of the closure components obtained.
An overriding consideration in the construction of absorbent articles is the cost of manufacturing which includes—besides running the process of manufacturing at high speed and with high reliability—also the requirement of minimizing waste.
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a cost-effective method of manufacturing closure components suitable for use in disposable absorbent articles such as diapers which is characterized by a high reliability and can be run at high speed with a reduced amount of waste. Other objects of the present invention can be taken from the following detailed description.